Railway-switch.



D. G. McGALIB.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1909.

Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

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Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

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D. G. McGALIB.

RAILWAY SWITCH. APPLIG'ATION FILED MAY 20, 1909.

' 941,089. Patented NOV. 23, 1909.

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anon a 1 /5 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID C. McCALIB, OF EL PASO, TEXAS.

RAILWAY-SW11 CH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID C. MOCALIB, a

citizen of the United States, residing at El Paso, in the county of El Paso, State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

' This invention relates to railways and has special reference to a switch adapted to be operated from a moving car, engine or the like.

One object of the invention is to improve the general construction of railway switches of this character.

Another object of the invention is to improve the general construction of the means supported by the train or car for operating switches of this character.

A third object of the construction is to provide a novel form of switch of this character wherein the moving parts will be substantially all held within casings.

lVith the above and other objects in view the invention consists in general of a novel form of railway switch comprising operating parts held adjacent the rails of a track together with a novel form of actuating means.

The invention further consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and :Figure 1 is a top plan view of a railroad switch constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof partly in section showing a switch constructed in accordance with this invention together with a portion of the train supported mechanism for operating the switch. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar section on the line 44 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail section or View of the train supported mechanism in inoperative position. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the train supported mechanism in operative position. Fig. 7 is a view partly in section of the train operative mechanism taken at right angles to Figs. 5 and 6.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 20, 1909.

Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

Serial No. 497,214.

The numeral 10 indicates the line rails of a railroad track and at 11 are shown the siding or turnout rails.

At 12 are the usual switch points which are connected by means of a suitable brace 13.

At 14 are indicated certain casings which extend longitudinally of the track and wherein are held certain of the moving parts. Each of these casings 1 1 is provided with spaced bearings 15 wherein is mounted a shaft 16 provided with laterally extended curved arms 17 A cover 18 is provided for each of these casings and this cover has downwardly inclined ends as indicated at 19. The cover 18 is normally held in a raised position by means of suitable springs 20 which extend from the under side of the cover to the bottom of the casing 14. Upon the top of the cover 18 are mounted a plurality of supporting forks 21 each of which carries a roller 22 which is adapted, when the cover is depressed, to contact with one of the arms 17. These casings 14 are here indicated as four in number, there being two on what may be termed the inside of the switch, one adjacent the switch between the rails and a fourth adjacent the switch outside of the rails and upon the opposite side of the switch from the third. The first two casings are joined by a curved portion 23 and the two shafts 16 in these casings are connected by means of a universal joint 24. It will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 1 that three of these casings are arranged parallel to each other and the shafts 16 in each of the parallel casings are provided with sprockets 25 which engage a sprocket chain 26 which extends transversely of the track being held in a suitable casing 27. This casing 27 is provided with a slot 28 and the upper side of the sprocket chain is held substantially in the slot being connected to the switch point 12 by means of suitable bolts 29. It will be observed that the arms 17 project from different sides of the shaft 16 in the several casings and the purpose of this will be hereinafter apparent.

At 30 is indicated the floor of a car or the like and on this floor is mounted a casing 31. Within the casing 31 there is provided a bearing 32 and an operating lever 33 has one end attached to this hearing, being provided at its free end with a treadle 34. Supported beneath the floor of the car is a guide sleeve 35 wherethrough passes a plunger 36 having its upper end connected by pin and slot connections 37 with the lever 33. Surrounding the upper end of the plunger 36 and between the floor of the car and the lever 33 is a tension spring 38 which normally holds the lever and plunger in its raised position. The sleeve 35 is provided with a suitable opening throughout its length to receive the plunger 36 and adjacent this opening is an off set recess 39 wherein moves a bar 40 which is pivoted to the plunger as at 41. The sleeve 35 is further slotted laterally as indicated at 42 and the bar 40 is so arranged that when the plunger 36 is depressed the upper end of this bar may be moved outward to engage the upper end of the slot 42 as clearly shown in Fig. 6. In order to move this end of the bar 40 outward there is provided a plate 43 mounted on the bar and a plate 44 mounted on the casing between which is held a spiral tension spring 45 which serves, when the plun ger is depressed to force the upper end of the bar 40 outward to the recess 42. The lower end of the bar 40 is equipped with a laterally extending finger 46 and each of the covers 18 is provided with an upstanding stop 47. The plunger 36 is continued downward and terminates at its lower end in a fork 48 wherein is received a roller 49. It is to be observed that there are as many of these car supported devices as may be necessary to operate the several mechanisms contained in the casings. In the first instance but two of these will be necessary and they will be on the right hand side of the engine shaft, one being located within the rails and the other without. It is also to be noted that the members 47 are arranged on opposite corners of the covers 18 so that the finger 46 is free to move up on one of the covers, only contacting wit-h one of the members 47 as the car moves past the second of the members 47.

In order to understand the operation of the device let it be assumed that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 and that the train operative desires to move the switch so that the train will pass onto the switch point and thus to the turnout. Let it also be supposed that the train is moving from the left to the right of Fig. 1. The train operative depresses the treadle 34 on the inside of the track and this causes the plunger 36 to move downward until the upper end of the bar 40 arise opposite the slot 42 when this upper end is forced outward to engage the upper end of the slot. This retains the plunger and treadle in its depressed position. The roller 49 will then engage the depressed end at the left hand of the cover 18 which lies between the two line rails and will depress this cover against the action of the springs 20. This will cause the rollers 22 on the forks 21 to engage the arms 17 and will rotate the sprocket 25 in this casing in such manner that the switch point will be moved to open the switch. As the train reaches the other end of the casing 14 above referred to the finger 46 contacts with the trip or stop 47 and swings the bar 40 against the action of the spring 45. As the bar 40 is straightened the spring 38 forces the plunger up and thus frees the finger 46 from the stop 47 and permits the treadle 34 to resume its normal or raised position. The switch is now open.- It will be noted that while this action has taken place the other shafts 16 are rotated and the arms 17 which have been previously de pressed are raised. Should the switch be opened and it be desired for the train to travel on the main line the outer of the two treadles 34 is depressed which acts upon the outer cover 18 in a manner precisely similar to that before described and causes the switch point to move to the closed position. In like manner if a train be approaching from the right hand end of Fig. 1 on the main line and the switch be closed the outer of the treadles will be depressed by the operative and this will serve to move the switch to the open position. A precisely similar operation is gone through to close the switch if the train be approaching from the right hand end of Fig. 1 on the turnout track.

There has thus been provided a simple and eflicient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

It is obvious that many minor changes may be made in the form and construction of this invention without departing from the material principles thereof. It is not therefore desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is wished to include all such as properly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a railroad switch, switch points, a shaft supported for rotation adjacent the switch points, a cover extending over said shaftand normally held in a raised position, an arm projecting laterally from said shaft, a presser element attached to said cover and adapted to contact with and rotate said arm and shaft, an operative connection between said shaft and the switch points, and a rolling stock supported mechanism to depress said cover.

2. In a railroad switch mechanism, switch points, a casing adjacent said switch points, a shaft supported for rotation in said casing, a cover extending over said casing and normally held in raised position thereon, an arm projecting laterally from said shaft, a presser element attached to said cover and adapted to contact with the arm and rotate said shaft, an operative connection between said shaft and the swltch points, and a. rolling stock supported mechanism to depress said cover.

3. In a railroad switch mechanism, switch points, a casing adjacent said switch points, a shaft supported for rotation in said casing, a cover having downwardly inclined ends held over said casing normally in raised position, an arm projecting laterally from said shaft, a presser element attached to said cover and adapted to contact with the arm and rotate said shaft, an operative connection between said shaft and the switch points, and a rolling stock supported mechanism to depress said cover.

4:. In a railroad switch mechanism, switch points, a casing mounted adjacent said switch points, a shaft supported for rotation in said casing, a cover for said casing normally held in a raised position, springs in said casing pressing against said cover to force the same upward, a presser element attached to said cover, an arm projecting laterally from said shaft and adapted to be engaged by the presser element, an operative connection between said shaft and the switch points, and a rolling stock supported mechanism to depress said cover.

5. In a railroad switch mechanism, switch points, a shaft supported for rotation adj acent the switch points, a cover extending over said shaft and normally held in a raised position, springs arranged to hold said cover raised, an arm projecting laterally from the shaft, a bar projecting downward from the cover, a roller carried on the lower end of said bar and adapted to contact with the arm and rotate said shaft, an operative connection between said shaft and the switch points, and a rolling stock supported mechanism to depress said cover.

(3. In a railroad switch mechanism, switch points, a shaft supported for rotation adjacent the switch points, a cover extending over said shaft and normally held in a raised position, means beneath said cover to rotate the shaft, an operative connection between said shaft and the switch points, a rolling stock supported mechanism to depress said cover, a lock on said rolling stock supported mechanism to hold thesame depressed and a release supported on said cover to release the lock and permit the rolling stock mechanism to rise.

'7. In a device of the kind described, a switch operating mechanism, and a rolling stock mechanism to operate said switch operating mechanism comprising a depressilole plunger, a spring normally holding same plunger raised, a lock adapted to hold said plunger depressed, and a trip adapted to contact with a part of the switch operating mechanism and release said lock.

8. In a device of the kind described, a switch operating mechanism, and a rolling stock supported mechanism to operate said switch operating mechanism comprising a denressiole plunger, a guide sleeve for said plunger provided with a lateral recess terminating in a slot, a lock lever pivoted to the plunger and normally lying in the recess, a spring supported on said sleeve and arranged to force the end of said lever into said slot when the plunger is depressed, and a trip on said lock lever arranged to contactwith a part of the switch operating mechanism to release said lever from the slot and permit the plunger to rise.

9. In a railroad switch, opposed rotatable shafts, sprockets carried by said shafts, a sprocket chain passing through said sprockets and connected to the switch, means to rotate said shafts, and car supported means to actuate the last mentioned means.

10. In a railroad switch, opposed rotatable shafts mounted adjacent said switch, sprockets carried by said shafts, a sprocket chain carried by the sprockets and connected with the switch, means to rotate said shafts in opposite directions, and car supported means to actuate the last mentioned means.

11. In a railroad switch, opposed rotatable shafts supported adjacent said switch, sprockets carried by said shafts, a sprocket chain mounted on the sprockets and operatively connected with the switch, cam arms extending in opposite directions from said shafts, independent means to depress said cam arms on the different shafts, and car supported means to actuate the last mentioned means.

12. In a railroad switch, opposed rotatable shafts supported adjacent said switch, sprocket-s carried by said shafts, a sprocket chain mounted on the sprockets and operatively connected with the switch, cam arms extending in opposite directions from said shafts, plungers slidably mounted in con tact with said cam arms, and adapted to rotate the respective shafts to which the arms are attached, springs normally holding said plungers in raised position, stops to limit the motion of said plungers, and car supported means to depress the plungers which actuate either of said shafts.

13. In a railroad switch, opposed rotatable shafts supported adjacent said switch, sprockets carried by said shafts, a sprocket chain mounted on the sprockets and operatively connected with the switch, cam arms extending in opposite directions from said shafts, plungers slidably mounted in contact with said cam arms and adapted to rotate the respective shafts to which the arms are attached, springs normally holding said plungers in raised position, stops to limit the motion of said plungers, and car supported means to depress the plungers which actuate either of said shafts, said means comprising a depressible plunger for each of said shafts, a spring normally holding said plunger raised, a foot lever to depress each of said plungers, and a locking pawl to releasably hold said plunger in raised position.

14. In a railroad switch, a pair of alined casings held inside of the main line, bearings in said casings, a shaft passing through said casings, a pair of switch points, a switch bar connecting said switch points, a sprocket carried on said shaft in alinement with said switch points, a second pair of casings one of which is parallel with the main line outside thereof and the other parallel with the turnout outside thereof, bearings in each of the last mentioned casings, a pair of shafts mounted in said bearings, an universal joint connecting said shafts, a second sprocket supported on one of said shafts in alinement with the first mentioned sprocket, a sprocket chain carried on said sprockets and connected to the switch bar,

on the inside of the track extending in opposition to the cam arms outside of said track, a sliding top for each of said casings, stops to limit the movement of said tops, plungers mounted on said tops provided with contact wheels at their lower ends in engagement with said plunger-s, springs between said tops and the bottoms of the easings, and car supported means adapted to be brought into contact with one or the other of said casing tops, to depress the same, rotate the shaft in thatcasing, and

actuate the switch.

In testimony whereof, I affix my s1gnature, in presence of two wltnesses.

DAVID C. MGCALIB.

Vitnesses V. G. TRUJILLo, FRANK H. lVINsToN. 

